Buckle



lhice 2,890,534 Patented June 16, 1959 BUCKLE Robert Quayle, Algonquin,lll.

Application September 3, 1954, Serial No. 454,064

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-17) This invention relates to a buckle and inparticular to a buckle for securing an animal collar strap.

'I'he principal feature of the invention is the provision of a new andimproved buckle for use on an animal collar strap.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a buckle having newand improved identification means in assocation with the buckle.

Still another feature is the provision of such a buckle wherein theretaining means includes new and improved means for releasably securingthe identification means in association with the buckle.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be readily apparentfrom the following specification and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a buckle embodying the inventionsecuring a collar strap on an animals neck;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View thereof;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a buckle having a modified form ofstrap retaining means; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section of the frontportion of the buckle provided with the modified form of strap retainingmeans.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Fig. 1, a buckleembodying my invention may be seen. The buckle comprises an outer bodymember 10, an inner body member 15 secured therewithin, and a D-ring 30for pivotally connecting one end of a strap 40 to said buckle. Retainingmeans are further provided within said buckle to hold securely the otherend of the strap when inserted therein. D-ring 30 is secured to thebuckle and further provides means for attachment of a separate tetheringelement 41 thereto. Identification means 25 is readily removablyattached to said buckle in such a position as to allow ready View.

Referring now more specifically to Figs. 2 to 4, the detailedconstruction and functioning of my buckle will be described. Outer bodymember is provided with side portions 11, each having a slot 11a in thefront end and a hole 11b near the rear end. The side portions aregenerally trapezoidal shaped and are spaced apart by bottom portion 12.The top edge of each side portion is bent to form an inturned flange 13.

The inner body member 15 is adapted to be retained within the outer bodymember and comprises a top portion 16, a tongue 16a formed near its rearend adapted for guiding the collar strap, and depending, generallytrapezoidal side portions 17.

Each iside portion 17 is provided with an ear 17a at its front endadapted to engage slot 11a of outer body member 1l) and securely retainsaid inner body member within said outer body member when said innerbody member is telescoped therewithin. A hole 17b is disposed near therear end of each side portion and is positioned to align with hole 11bof outer body member 10 27 is provided with edges 27b having a when theinner body member is inserted fully into the outer body member. Thelower edge of each side portion is provided with a long `slot 17eextending rearwardly from a point near the front end of the side and ashort slot 17d near the rear end thereof.

A Wedge member 20 having a roughened gripping surface 20a and ears 20hadapted to engage long slots 17C is slidably retained Within said bodymembers. This wedge member is adapted to grip firmly a strap end in-`serted between its surface 20a and the bottom of top portion 16.

A leaf spring 18 is carried in body 10 on bottom 12 and has a ilatportion 18a with a forward end portion lSb formed at a small angle fromthe at portion and a rear end portion 18e formed into a U-shaped channeland is provided with ears 18d adapted to be retained in short slots 17d.The wedge member 20 is frictionally held in position contacting theunderside of strap 40, by the action of spring end portion 1Sb when thewedge member is in strap engaging position, yas shown in Fig. 2 (fulllines). The wedge member may be readily moved to the released position(dotted lines) within U-shaped end portion 18C by moving the strap 40 ashort distance toward the rear of the buckle (to the right in Fig. 2).The gripping engagement between wedge member surface 20a and theundersurface of the strap will overcome the frictional retarding forcebetween the spring portion 18b and the bottom of the wedge member,causing the wedge member to move correspondingly to the rear of thebuckle. This rearward movement will cause the wedge member to engagespring fiat portion 18a which exerts no frictional positioning force andthe wedge member may then slide freely into the end portion 18C. In thisposition, ears 2Gb are in engagement with the rear portion of long slots17C and the strap 40 is allowed to slide freely through the buckle.

D-ring 30 is provided with a discontinuous, straight portion 30a adaptedto engage holes 11b and 17b in outer body member 10 and inner bodymember 15 respectively, outer body members in a telescoped position.Straight portion 30a is adapted to have the looped end 40a of strap 40pivotally attached thereto. Such pivotal attachment minimizes fleXure ofthe strap, which has been found to cause failure at this point of thestrap in buckles having a non-movable connection.

In the conventional collar strap assembly, the means for connection of aseparate tethering Aelement to the strap comprises a ring secured to aportion of the strap itself. Generally, a portion of the ring isinserted between the layers of material constituting the strap andretained therein by means such as stitching. Such attachment has provendecidedly disadvantageous in that successive flexures, caused bytensional strains transmitted through the tethering element, tend torupture the strap at this point. In my invention, the D-ring 30 isprovided with an arcuate portion 30h adapted for connection of thetethering element 41 thereto. Such attachment causes such tetheringelement strains to act directly on the buckle and as the strap is.freely pivotally secured to the buckle, undue exing ofthe strap is pre-`cluded.

Identification means 25 is detachably secured to the top portion 16.vMeans 25 comprises a transparent envelop 27 within whichl is retainedan identification card" 26 bearing desirable identification data.y Theenvelop wedged or tapered shape adapted to be engaged between flanges 13and top portion 16. One of the edges 27b is provided with a slot 27dcommunicating with the internal cavity 27e in the envelop 27.

The card 26 is inserted into the envelop by slidingv and providesadditional securing of the inner and it through the slot 27d. One end ofthe envelop is then positioned so thatV edges 2f7bwill engage theflanges 13` and the envelop is then slid longitudinally into overlyingrelationship with top portion 16, flanges 13 retaining the envelop inattachment to thel buckle. As the slot 27d is now covered by a flange13, the cavity 27e is sealed against moisture and foreign material.

It can be seen that ythe several components of the buckle are quicklyand easily assembled and secured into a unit. Ears 17a of inner bodymember 15 snap into slots 11a of outer body member 10, therebymaintaining the body members in functional relationship. Straightportions 30a of D-ring 30 engage holes 11band 17b'of theV outer andinner body members, respectively, so as further to secure the assembly.

New and improved means arev provided for retaining the identificationmeans in releasable association with the buckle. For this purpose,flanges 13 of the outer body member are provided with notches 13a. Theidentification element envelop 27' is provided with a groove 27Cextending preferably transversely from the topof one of the edges 27bacross said edge, across the bottom portion of the envelop, and acrossthe second of said edges, terminating in the top of said second edge.This groove is positioned'longitudinally of the card holder so as toalign with said notches 13a when the holder isfully inserted within theflanges. A flat, generally U-shaped spring member 28 is provided tosecure the identification element in this position. Spring 28is adaptedto be received within the groove 27e and preferably has a thickness lessthan the depth of the groove so that it may be Wholly contained therein.The two extremities of the spring 28a extend upwardly and are adapted tobe received in the notches 13a, the spring action of member 28 tendingto force them outwardly so as tobear against the flanges.

To insert the identification means 25, it is necessary merely to placethe spring 28 in the groove 27C with the ends 28a extending upwardly,manually force said ends toward each other so as to prevent interferencewith flanges 13, and slide the identification card longi tudinally intothe buckle with the edges 27k in engagement with flanges 13 until thecard is fully inserted. In this position, the spring member 28 will bealigned with the notches 13a and the ends 28a may be allowed to expandinto said notches, thereby positively preventing further longitudinalmovement. The removal of the card is effected by a reversal of thisoperation.

A strap engaging member is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to comprise acylindrical wedge member 21 arranged to engage the strap 40 andretain itwithin the buckle. This wedge member is provided with serrations 21a anda hollow bore 2lb. Within said bore is axially positioned a spring 22with one end engaging the end of said bore. A friction member 23,comprising disc-shaped body member side portion engaging element 23b anda shaft 23C extendingnormally therefrom, is positioned within said wedgemember 21 so that said shaft extends axially therethrough and the freeend of spring 22 urges the element 23b outwardly. It can be seen thatthe spring action will press one end of wedge member 21 and the outersurface of friction member 23 against the side portions 11b and thustend to hold the wedge member in whatever position, it may be placed.This holding force, however, may be overcome by action of the strap 40against the serrated surface. To secure the strap, such engagement ismade and the strap is moved toward the front portion of the buckle or tothe left as in Fig. 2, thereby wedging the member 21 between the bottomportion 12 and the strap. Toloosen the strap, it merely need be movedtoward. the rear portion, thus member 21 will be moved correspondinglyto the right and release` its Wedging hold.

In use, the free strap end 40b is inserted into the front end of thebuckle and slidingly pushed through the space 4 between the bottom oftop portion 16 and roughened gripping surface 20a of wedge member 20,the top surface of U-shaped end portion 18C of leaf spring 18 and loopedend 40a of strap 40. Tongue 16a guides the strap end when leaving therear end of the buckle.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it can be seen that wedge member 21 will slidetoward D-ring portion 30a when the strap motion is from thel iront tothe rear of the buckle. When, however, the strap is moved in theopposite direction, serrations 21a will tend to grip the strap, causingwedge member 21 tobe moved in the opposite direction, thereby increasingthe pressure between the wedge member and therstrap and holding` thestrap in this positionA firmly. To loosen the strap, it is necessarymerely to move the strap a short distance toward the rear of the buckle,thereby moving wedge member 21 toward the rear and releasing thepressure against the strap.

The attachmentl of the tetheringelement to theA D-ring further providesa co-operating means forpositioningl theA identification means 25 forviewing. It is necessary merely to exert a slight force on the tetheringelement to cause the collar strap to slide around the animals neck to apositionl where the identification means may be readily viewed; Thisprecludes anynecessity for bring-A ing the hands near the animals headby one merely wishing to identify the animal.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, itis to be understood that it' is. capable of many modifications. Changes,therefor, in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting Ifrom the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed inthe appended claims.

I claim:

1'. A buckle assembly of the character described forA usewith an animalcollar strap, comprising: a buckle adapted to have an animal collarstrap secured thereto and having a top surface and a ange defining anedge of said surface, said fiange Ibeing provided with a notch;identi'cation means; groove means on said buckle adapted to receive theidentification means to allow movement thereof parallel to the plane ofthe top surface and to restrain movement of the identification meanslaterally of said plane, said identification means including an edgeportion having an opening therethrough; and means for restrainingmovement of the identification means in said plane,

when desired including a spring clip extending through said opening andreleasably engaging said notch.

2. A buckle for use with a collar strap comprising: a buckle bodyprovided with a top and parallel spaced inturned fianges dening oppositeedges of the top, said flanges each having a notch; and anidentification card element comprising a flat transparent envelopemovable along said buckle top and having edges slidably engaging saidiianges, said envelope further having means defining an openingextending transversely tol said edges, a resilient element extendingthrough said opening and releasably engaging said ilange notches toprevent longitudinal movement of said envelope relative to said bucklebody, and an identification card retained in said envelope.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS272,036 Fassitt Feb. 13, 1883 770,070 Johnson Sept. 13, 1904 794,563Stahlknecht July 11, 1905 1,101,426 Fromm June 23, 1914 1,170,151Hathaway Feb. 1, 1916 1,178,024 Nettleton Apr. 4, 1916 1,539,487 HornickMay 26, 1925 1,606,849 Spear Nov. 16, 19,26 1,794,458 Herschede Mar. 3,1931 1,896,695 Borovicka Feb. 7, 1933 (therreferences on following page)6 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1908 Sweden July 29, 1952 GreatBritain Oct. 13, 1927 Great Britain July 9, 1931

